Growing pomegranate at home in a pot

Pomegranate is the fruit of the pomegranate tree, which has been known since ancient times. It was called the “imperial fruit” in the palace grounds of Rome, and it was also called the “grainy apple” because of its unusual structure. Growing a pomegranate from a stone at home is associated with certain difficulties, but it is quite a doable task.

Is it possible to grow a pomegranate from a seed

When asked whether it is possible to grow a pomegranate from a stone at home, the answer depends on many components of the process. For cultivation, you should choose suitable fruits, as well as observe the conditions for cultivation.

Many collectors of exotic plants practice growing decorative pomegranate at home. This means that the tree does not produce edible fruits, but has the characteristic features of a pomegranate. The process of cultivating an ornamental species differs in many ways and is the cultivation of a conventional houseplant.

A pomegranate tree from a stone begins to bear fruit at home, subject to all the rules, and also, depending on the type of seed. There are subtleties here:

• planting material purchased in nurseries bears fruit in the 3rd year after planting;
• seeds and grains from pomegranate purchased at the market or supermarket – for the 7th year of existence.

Choosing a variety for growing pomegranate in a pot

The type of ordinary pomegranate, which is grown in specially designated areas, has several different varietal varieties:

• Azerbaijani variety Gulosha. Fruits of this variety with a thin skin, juicy and dense grains. They are characterized as sweet and sour with a predominance of acid;
• Nikitinsky early. It is distinguished by large, juicy and sweet fruits;
• Pygmy or Sparkling. Home cultivation of dwarf pomegranate from seeds allows you to get fruits weighing up to 100 g;
• Child-Mursal. This variety with fruits growing up to 500 g. Growing such a pomegranate at home will be lengthy and problematic.

Conditions for growing pomegranate from the stone at home

The ideal picture that comes to mind at the mention of growing a pomegranate from a seed at home paints a morning when you can go to the pot, pick the ripe fruit, break it and enjoy the taste. At the same time, you can simply eat grains, add them to salads, desserts, make juice and much more. The use of the fruit is diverse, and its beneficial properties are undeniable.

Growing from seeds is a long and laborious process. After landing, the grenade needs to create optimal conditions. Particular attention is paid to the temperature regime. At each stage of growing pomegranate from seeds, the mode should be different.

When the air temperature drops to -5 ° C, the pomegranate will freeze and stop growing. When the temperature rises above +25 ° C, the plant reacts by falling leaves. In addition, the pomegranate sheds its leaves in autumn, as it is a deciduous crop. During the rest period, pots with pomegranates can be placed on glazed verandas or balconies. Pomegranate perfectly tolerates a change in its place of growth.

In order to observe the temperature regime during cultivation, it is necessary to provide measures to reduce the air temperature, provided that heating is available in winter and autumn.

Planting a pomegranate from a seed at home is associated with setting artificial light and controlling natural light. A pomegranate needs about 12 hours of daylight to develop. In winter, artificial lighting is installed. In summer, sheet plates must be protected from direct exposure to rays in order to prevent the formation of burns.

Pomegranate at home grown from seeds requires additional feeding during the growing season. They are introduced according to a predetermined scheme:

• in spring – mineral complexes with a high content of nitrogen;
• in summer – mixtures with a high content of potassium and phosphorus.

For pomegranate, mixtures intended for flower crops with a high content of potassium are used.

Watering for homemade pomegranate is carried out in compliance with all requirements. Overflows and droughts are dangerous for this type of indoor tree:

• during the spring period, excluding the dormant stage, the pomegranate is watered once a week;
• the reason for the next irrigation should be the state of the topsoil: with complete drying, crusting and clumping, watering is required.

In the early stages of pomegranate growth, the ground and the tree are sprayed with a spray bottle, then watering begins with a watering can with a diffuser so as not to wash out the soil with pressure.

Humidity is increased by additionally spraying the air next to the pomegranate, as well as by placing containers filled with water around the pot.

How to grow a pomegranate from a seed

Step-by-step cultivation of pomegranate from the stone begins with the selection of soil and capacity. The process of tree development depends on this.

landing capacity

For planting a pomegranate, a shallow pot with a narrow base and an extension to the top is chosen. For planting seeds, a plastic container may be a suitable option, but when purchasing a clay pot, you can solve several problems at once. A clay pot is able to absorb excess moisture due to the characteristics of the material. It is undesirable to purchase pots made of wood. At this stage of development, dishes are chosen, which, possibly later, with an increase in the root system, can be replaced with a larger one.

Pomegranate planting containers take into account the need to create a drainage layer. They should also be equipped with drainage holes. In this case, the pot should have a low pallet.

Soil for pomegranate at home

The soil for natural growth of wild pomegranate may be poor and devoid of moisture, but this option is not suitable for a house. The soil is selected according to several criteria:

1. The lower drainage part consists of expanded clay or vermiculite. It is laid in a layer of at least 5-6 cm. Drainage at home is an important agricultural technique. It allows you to control the amount of moisture, reduces the possibility of overflow, absorbing excess.
2. The main part may consist of loam, peat and sand. The ratio of the components should make the soil loose, water and moisture permeable.

One option is a universal substrate that is used for flowering plants.

Preparing seeds for planting

When answering the question of how to grow a pomegranate from a stone at home, gardeners are invited to consider the process step by step. It begins with the proper preparation of planting material. At the same time, the purchased pomegranate must meet the basic requirements: not have damage and be of sufficient maturity.

1. The pomegranate is cut, the contents are freed from the peel.
2. Grains are cleaned, carefully freeing from the pulp. The result should be light seeds without pink-red pulp particles.
3. The grains are washed under a gentle pressure of warm water.
4. For 12 hours, they are poured with a solution of a biogrowth stimulator for soaking.

How to plant a pomegranate from a seed

Planting pomegranate seeds is carried out according to the established scheme. The soil is moistened with warm settled water, its upper part is loosened. Seeds are buried by 1,5 cm, with the sharp part down. Too deep penetration can lead to inhibition of rooting, surface planting can cause slow emergence. In order not to make a mistake with planting a pomegranate from a seed at home, experts recommend watching photos or videos of plantings.

After placing the planting material, the containers are tightened with plastic wrap or covered with glass. After leaving for rooting on the windowsill with a sufficient supply of light.

Seed care

When the first shoots appear, the additional shelter is removed and left on a lighted windowsill. In order for the sprouts to sprout evenly, not to stretch and not stop growing, there should be enough light for the containers.

The soil is sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle. When 2-3 true leaves grow, a mandatory pick is carried out, the seedlings are transplanted. The containers for transplantation should be 2-4 cm larger than the previous ones. Weak shoots are removed. When the 4th pair of leaves appears, pinch the top so that the young tree is stronger. At the first appearance of flowers, they are removed, since the pomegranate will not be able to set fruit due to insufficient maturity and will lose strength.

How many pomegranates rise

The timing of the emergence of seedlings depends on when the seeds were sown. Spring and autumn plantings can sprout in 14 – 20 days. With winter planting, the terms increase. At the end of two months, it should be recognized that the grains did not germinate.

What does a pomegranate sprout look like?

In appearance, pomegranate shoots resemble ordinary vegetable sprouts to many. As they grow, they elongate, forming a thin but dense main stem with symmetrically growing leaf blades.

When to transplant a pomegranate grown from seed

The basic rule when growing pomegranate is the regularity of transplants. Up to 4 – 5 years, the tree is transplanted annually. To do this, choose a more spacious container, while taking into account the structural features of the tree.

The first transplant takes place in spring or autumn when the plant reaches 15 cm in height and has 8 pairs of leaves. This will be a transplant of an adult rooted strong tree. For her, the transshipment method is chosen so as not to disturb the root system. The sprout is transferred to a new drainage part with a clod of earth, without straightening or cutting off the roots.

Will a pomegranate grown from a seed bear fruit?

Subject to the basic rules for the care of a pomegranate grown from a stone at home, it will bear fruit in the 5th – 7th year of existence. The exact timing depends on the variety and numerous additional factors.

Flowering in the first year of growing pomegranate seeds indicates that the plant is strong enough. But for further fruiting, the flowers are removed. In the second year, up to 3 ovaries are left, focusing on the size of the tree. In the third year, the number of ovaries left is increased to 5 – 6. This is one of the features of growing pomegranate at home.

Conclusion

Growing a pomegranate from a seed at home is associated with certain difficulties. Trees need additional and constant light to grow. In addition, it can be difficult for gardeners to set up a special temperature regime for termination. Waiting for fruiting is delayed for several years. But the appearance of fruits becomes a real holiday. The advantage of growing pomegranates at home is the ability to obtain healthy fruits without the addition of industrial chemical additives.